Because of Your Love
by Sara9
Summary: This is basically just a sappy Monica and Chandler story (I love those), with a few little surprises, I hope. And I hope you enjoy it. *Epilogue added*
1. Chapter One

I was in the mood to write something sappy and romantic and sweet, so I turned to Monica and Chandler. The last fanfic I wrote about them was a little more dramatic, but this time I wanted something a little more simple. I'm posting the first four chapters at once, which may be the only ones, but if enough people enjoy it, I'm willing to write a few more chapters. I've got some ideas. I'll probably end up doing it anyway. lol By the way, this is set toward the end of season eight, and I think you'll gather any other information you need from the story. Okay. Enough of my rambling. I hope you enjoy this. Please let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from _Friends_. They belong to their creators.

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Because of Your Love

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Chapter One

Monica stared at the photograph in her hand, smiling, as she thought about all the memories locked up in that one, precious picture. This one was worth even more than a thousand words - to her, at least. Her wedding day had been the best day of her life. Now, nearly a year later, she couldn't imagine being any happier.

Chandler entered the bedroom and smiled at the sight of his wife sitting in bed, staring at her favorite photo. She looked up at him and smiled, then placed the frame back on her nightstand. She snuggled up to him once he had crawled under the covers to join her.

"Thinking about the best day of our lives again?" Chandler asked and kissed the top of her head as he held her close.

"Of course," she replied. "I must be the luckiest woman in the world," she said sincerely.

"If I say I'm the luckiest _man_ in the world, will I get lucky tonight?" he teased.

She pulled away from him and tried to keep a straight face as she reprimanded him. "If you keep saying things like that, you'll be lucky if you ever get lucky again, Mr. Bing."

"Mr. Bing? What happened to Mr. Bi-"

"All right, all right... If I didn't love you so much, I'd never be able to put up with you," she laughed and cuddled up with him again.

"I love you too, Monica," he said honestly. "And I really am lucky to have you. You make me so happy."

She smiled to herself and hugged him a little tighter.

"You know, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and, as happy as I am with you, I -"

"Oh no. Chandler, are you leaving me?" she asked, shocked and scared. Of all the people in the world, she didn't want to lose him.

"Of course not, honey. I'm never going to leave you. I would never want to," he assured her.

She released a sigh of relief. "So what have you been thinking about?" she asked curiously.

"Well, I just..." He stopped, beginning to get a little nervous about what he was about to do. "I know that you're happy, Mon, but... there's something that would make you happier, isn't there?"

She looked up at him, wondering what he could possibly be talking about. "Chandler, nothing could make me happier. All I need is you, sweetie."

"See, that's just the thing. That's not totally true... You want babies."

Her eyes widened. "Babies? What brought this on?" she asked.

"We _are_ married, Mon. And you _do_ want babies."

"Yeah, we _both_ want babies, Chandler. We've talked about this already, and we decided that now isn't the time. We aren't ready."

"That was months ago," he replied. "I've seen you with Rachel, gushing over baby things, and I can tell that you're ready. You've been ready for awhile now."

She smiled. "But we both have to be ready. I might have to carry the baby and give birth, but you have to be there for me too and I want you to enjoy it, not dread it."

"That's just it. I think I _am_ ready," he said quietly.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "This is a big step, Chandler. I want you to be sure."

"I've never been more sure. The more I think about it, the more I realize how much I want this. I never thought that I would be so eager to do this, but I want us to have a family. I want a little miniature Monica running around." He smiled at her and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. "I want you to have my baby - _our_ baby."

She smiled at him through tears and reached over to touch his cheek. "I want to have your baby, too," she whispered.

He leaned over to kiss her, then they held each other in silence for a moment before Chandler spoke again. "Wanna start trying right now?" he asked, grinning.

She simply nodded, then kissed him again, still wondering how she ever got so lucky...

==========

After making love, Chandler wrapped his arms around Monica from behind and placed his hands on her stomach. Monica noticed the small but grand gesture and placed her hands over his. "Thank you," she whispered, almost inaudibly.

He kissed her ear then whispered his response. "Believe me, it was my pleasure." She giggled. He gently rubbed her stomach. "Monica, I can't wait until our baby is growing inside you... I can't wait to be a dad."

She smiled to herself. "You'll make a wonderful dad." She rolled over in his arms so she was facing him, then reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. She clung to him, never wanting to let go. "I love you, Chandler. I know I say that a lot, but I could never tell you enough. And after tonight... Well, I can assure you that you'll be hearing it even more often."

"And I'll never get tired of hearing it," he assured her. "So, do you wanna talk about names?"

"Names?"

"Yeah, baby names."

She couldn't help laughing. "Chandler, I'm not even pregnant yet. We've still got nine months at the very least." She could see that he was genuinely excited about the prospect of having a baby with her. She was thrilled, to say the very least.

"It's never too soon to start thinking about these things," he smiled at her. "Besides, you could be pregnant."

"Believe me, if I was pregnant, I would know it. I'm Monica, remember? You know, the woman who's had baby fever for years."

"Years? I thought you were over that at one point."

"I put it aside for you," she answered. "But you have no idea how many times I've thought about having a baby with you... You know, after we started things up in London, I was kind of hoping that I'd accidentally get pregnant in the beginning. I knew if I did, there might be a better chance that we'd stay together."

"Are you serious?" Chandler asked, surprised to hear what she was telling him.

"Yeah... I knew that if there was a baby involved, you wouldn't walk out on me. I knew you'd be scared to death, but I knew you'd be there."

"Are you saying you would have gotten pregnant to keep me?"

"Not exactly. I never would have deliberately gotten pregnant, but there were times when I wanted to."

He smiled at her, still a little taken aback by what he'd heard. He debated on whether he should divulge his innermost secret. After a moment of thinking it over, he gave in. "You're not going to believe this, but I actually thought about that once, too."

"What? Getting me pregnant?"

He nodded. "I never would have done it, but I thought about having a little accident with the contraceptives once or twice... And I thought about _asking_ you to have a baby with me... For the same reasons as you. I wanted to keep you," he grinned.

"Wow. We could have started this baby thing a long time ago, huh?"

"Yeah, but it wouldn't have been as good. We weren't ready then. We are now."

"You're right," she agreed. She relaxed in his arms again, enjoying the feeling of being near him. "You know, if you're really serious about this baby thing -"

"What do you mean '_if_' I'm serious?" he asked. "Monica, I don't think I've wanted anything this much since I figured out that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

"But why? Why the sudden change of heart?"

He sighed. "It's not really sudden, Monica. You knew that I wanted to have kids with you. I was just a little scared to get started. But I finally realized how important this is to you - and to me. And we're not getting any younger. I don't want to be seventy when our kids are graduating from med. school."

"Med. school? Our kids are going to med. school?" she laughed.

"Sure. Why not? With you for a mother and... Well, you're about the only chance they've got. Our kids are _not_ going to spend their lives working at a dead end job like mine."

"What if they want to be paleontologists like their Uncle Ross?" she teased.

"I hadn't thought about that," he admitted. "Oh well. I guess we'll just have to keep them away from Ross. He could be a bad influence."

"Chandler!" Monica playfully smacked his chest. "That's my brother you're talking about."

"Yeah, and don't tell me you want our kids to follow in his footsteps. I'd rather they stuck with the dead end job like their daddy."

She smiled. "Daddy. It suits you, you know."

He caressed her cheek with his finger and returned her smile. "Mommy suits you, too... You know, all the other mothers are absolutely going to hate you."

"Hate me? I certainly hope not."

"Oh, they will. You're gonna be the perfect mom. They'll all be jealous. And of course with that stud of a husband you've got..."

She laughed again then became serious when her eyes met his. She kissed him passionately and whispered. "Let's see just how much of a stud you are..."


	2. Chapter Two

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Because of Your Love

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Chapter Two

"Mon? You home?" Chandler called when he entered the apartment a few weeks later. Their relationship had been better than ever since they started trying to have a baby. Of course they realized that the chances of Monica getting pregnant during their first month of trying weren't very high, but they were enjoying the process.

He picked up a note with his name on it from the kitchen table and read it to himself. "Chandler, I'm with Ross and Rachel. They had to pick up some last minute things before the baby gets here and needed some help. I'll be home for dinner. I love you. Monica."

He put the note back on the table and walked over to sit down on the sofa. Just as he was about to turn on the television, the telephone rang.

"Hello?" he said into the receiver.

"Hello. This is Dr. Danielle Jenkins. I'm calling for Monica Bing," the voice on the other end answered.

"Monica isn't in right now, but this is her husband. Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly. He knew that Monica had been in to see her doctor a few days ago, but he thought it was just a routine thing - one of those womanly things that he didn't care to think about.

"Mr. Bing, I'm not sure that I should give you this news. Although you are her husband, I feel that Mrs. Bing deserves to know my reason for calling first."

"Doctor, if something is wrong with my wife, I'd like to be able to help her, so could you please just tell me what's going on?" Chandler responded, becoming a little irritated with the good doctor's unwillingness to cooperate.

He could hear her sigh over the phone. "All right, Mr. Bing..."

==========

It took Chandler at least an hour to digest the news that he had heard from Dr. Jenkins. He just sat there, on the sofa, waiting for Monica to get home any minute. He needed to see her. He needed to talk to her.

"Hey, sweetie," Monica said cheerfully when she arrived home. She put down her bags on the kitchen table and walked over to the living room to join him. "Honey, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?" she asked worriedly.

He quickly snapped out of it and smiled at her. "Nothing. Nothing at all," he assured her, wondering if he sounded convincing enough. "How'd the shopping go?" He couldn't tell her now. Not like this. It had to be the right time.

"Oh, it was wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Actually I managed to sneak a couple of things by Ross and Rachel. I mean, I know that we're not telling them that we're trying to have a baby, so I didn't want them to get suspicious. I have to show you," she said excitedly and rushed back over to the table to pick up one of her shopping bags. She took it back over to him and pulled out the first of her items. It was a pair of tiny, baby blue pajamas with little yellow ducks on the front. "Isn't this adorable?" she grinned and handed it to him.

He took it and stared at the baby's clothing. "Wow," he said quietly, trying to take it all in.

"I know!" she replied and reached into the bag again. "Wait until you see this one," she said happily and pulled out another pair of pajamas. This time they were pale pink with embroidered letters spelling out "Daddy's Little Girl." Before she handed it to him, she considered the thought that this might be too much too soon. "Now, Chandler, don't freak out," she began. "I just couldn't resist." She handed the pajamas to him and waited for his reaction.

He smiled when he saw the writing, and felt a tear run down his cheek. He brushed it away with the back of his hand and looked up at Monica. "I think these are precious," he whispered and leaned over to kiss her tenderly.

She felt the tears well up in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She pulled away after a moment and took the baby clothes from him and returned them to the bag. "So, anything exciting happen today?" she asked.

He wasn't sure how to answer that. He didn't want to tell her now. How could he? This wasn't just something to throw out at her without a moment's notice. He had to wait. "No, nothing out of the ordinary," he lied. "How about you? Anything interesting?"

"No, not really. I think I've shown you just about all I got accomplished today," she smiled. "I guess I could make dinner. That would add one more accomplishment. What are you in the mood for?" she asked, on her way to the kitchen.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. I'm not really that hungry," he admitted.

"Why don't we order take out?" she suggested. "I'm not really in the mood to cook. Besides, we could work on our little project until it gets here," she grinned.

He smirked. "Why, Mrs. Bing, it isn't even dark out yet," he teased.

"Hey, it never stopped you before," she replied, took his hand, and led him towards the bedroom.

"We forgot to order dinner," he mumbled between kisses.

"Forget dinner. I'd rather have dessert..."

==========

"I can't believe we were in there for so long," Monica sighed as she followed Chandler out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. "You're probably starving."

"Not really. My appetite's pretty satisfied," he teased and opened the refrigerator door. "But I'll make something for you... Want a sandwich?" he asked and pulled out the ingredients he'd need for his specialty - ham and cheese.

"Quite the chef, aren't you?" she laughed.

"I learned from the best," he answered and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

He made two sandwiches and sat down at the table to eat with her. "Since I deprived you of a decent meal tonight, why don't I take you out for dinner tomorrow night?" he offered. That would be a perfect opportunity to talk to her about what he'd learned earlier that afternoon.

"Sure. I'd love to," she agreed. She yawned and glanced at the clock. "Wow. We should really get some sleep, Chandler. All this baby making is wearing me out."

He smiled and stood up then scooped her up into his arms. "Then I guess it's time that you got into bed, huh?" he said and carried her into the bedroom once again.

==========

Once Monica had finally dozed off to sleep, Chandler lay there, watching her chest rise and fall. He loved to watch her sleep. There was just something about knowing that she was so comfortable and peaceful lying there in his arms. He carefully brushed her hair away from her face and gently kissed her forehead, being careful not to wake her.

He couldn't believe that he was actually going to break this news to her. It seemed so unreal to him, no matter how clear the doctor had made it that it _was_ true and it _was_ real. Both of their lives were going to change forever and Monica was lying there, sleeping, completely oblivious to the whole situation.

Chandler tried to sleep that night but found it incredibly difficult. He guessed that he dozed off some time between four and four thirty that morning, but he couldn't be sure. When he opened his eyes again, he glanced at the spot in bed next to him and realized that Monica was missing. Upon that discovery, he looked at the clock on the nightstand and realized that he was _really_ late for work.

He jumped out of bed, pulled on his robe, and exited the bedroom to find Monica and Rachel sitting at the kitchen table, talking. When Monica saw him, she got up and met him halfway between the kitchen and bedroom. She gave him a gentle kiss.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning to you, too," he replied. "Why didn't you wake me? I was supposed to be in for a meeting at eight and it's almost nine."

"Your boss called this morning and said that the meeting was canceled and you didn't have to go in today. So I let you sleep," she informed him. "Now why don't you join us? We're having pancakes," she continued and led him over to sit down at the table.

"Morning, Rach," he said as he joined the ladies for breakfast. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Rachel replied. He could tell from her tone of voice that she wasn't just tired. She was exhausted. After all, the baby was nearly a week overdue.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked.

"Yeah, but Ross didn't want me at the apartment alone today so he made me come over here while he went to work." She finished with a yawn.

"Rachel, why don't you go and lie down?" Monica suggested. "We'll be right out here, so you can just yell if you need something, okay?"

"Thanks, Monica," Rachel replied sincerely. Monica helped her up from the table and into the guest room.

When she returned, she sat on Chandler's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are we still on for dinner tonight?" she asked.

"You better believe it," he smiled weakly, still unsure of how he was going to tell her. "Unless Rachel pops before then. We might have to make a run to the hospital instead."

She laughed. "It'll give us good practice for when we get to do this."

"You're absolutely right," he said quietly and kissed her tenderly. He had to tell her now. It was killing him that she didn't know anything about the doctor's phone call. He couldn't wait any longer. "Mon, we need to talk about something."

"Sure, sweetheart. What is it?" she asked curiously. She couldn't help wondering if he had changed his mind about having a baby.

"Okay. Here goes..."


	3. Chapter Three

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Because of Your Love

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Chapter Three

"Okay. Here goes..."

"Guys? Could you come in here?" Rachel called from the guest room.

"It's Rachel," Monica said and stood up. "I'll be right back." She walked away from him, still wondering what he needed to talk to her about. But, at the moment, Rachel was more important.

Chandler sighed. On one hand, he was thankful for the interruption. On the other hand, he wished he had been able to tell her the truth - to tell her what he knew. Just when he was about to get up to follow his wife, she reappeared from Rachel's room.

"She's in labor!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Call Ross. We have to get her to the hospital."

Chandler jumped up and grabbed the phone. "Should I call a cab? Or are you driving?"

"_You're_ driving," Monica replied. "The keys to the Porsche are in my purse."

"Okay," he answered as he dialed Ross' cell phone number.

"Ross Geller," Ross' tired voice answered. Chandler couldn't help thinking that he sounded just as exhausted as Rachel.

"Ross, it's Chandler. Rachel's in labor. We -"

"Labor?! She's in labor?! Thanks goodness!" he exclaimed. "Are you at the hospital?"

"No, we're still at our apartment, but -"

"Get her to the hospital! You and Mon can't deliver a baby!" he yelled.

"Ross, we're about to leave. Just get yourself to the hospital. We'll meet you there," Chandler responded.

"Right. Right... Wow, I hope you're not as nervous as I am right now when Monica's the one having a baby."

Chandler laughed nervously. "Yeah. Sure."

"All right. I'm leaving. Get her there as fast as you can. But drive safely."

"She's in good hands, Ross," Chandler assured him and they both hung up.

"Chandler, come and help me get her to the car!" Monica yelled from the bedroom.

He did as he was told and entered the guest room. Rachel was sitting up on the edge of the bed, clutching her stomach in pain. He wondered if all women did that. He wondered if Monica would have done that if she was in labor.

"All right, girls, lets get this show on the road," he smiled weakly. He stood on one side of Rachel while Monica took the other. They helped her out of the room and out of the apartment. Chandler stopped briefly at Joey's door and pounded on it.

"Joey! Call Phoebe and get to the hospital! Rachel's having the baby!" he yelled.

Joey opened the door halfway through Chandler's yelling and saw the three others standing there. "A baby! It's about time!" he exclaimed as he watched Chandler, Monica, and Rachel walk away. He rushed back into his apartment to get dressed and call Phoebe.

==========

The trio arrived at the hospital as quickly, and as safely, as possible. Chandler and Monica helped Rachel inside once again and found a wheelchair for her. Monica rushed up to the counter. "We've got a woman in labor here!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, I see that," the woman at the desk replied. "We'll get you into a room," she said, looking at Rachel. Then she looked up at Chandler. "Are you the father?"

"Oh, no no no," he answered. "I'm with her," he continued and put his arm around Monica.

"Very well then. I'll take her back," she replied and came over to take Rachel away.

"Bye, sweetie. We'll be right out here," Monica called after her. "Ross will be here any minute. We'll see you soon."

They watched as Rachel was wheeled away. "Should we wait down here for Ross or go straight up to maternity?" Chandler asked.

"Let's wait for a few minutes. We'll go up with him. He could probably use the support," she smiled.

"Yeah, you're right." He wondered if Monica had completely forgotten about the conversation they had started just before Rachel had gone into labor.

She hadn't. "Honey, what did you want to talk about earlier?"

He smiled at her. "Let's not talk about it right now. Let's just wait," he replied and led her over to a couple of chairs.

They had been sitting there for less than ten minutes when they saw Ross rushing into the emergency room. He spotted them immediately.

"Where is she? Where's Rachel?" he asked, completely out of breath.

  
"She's upstairs. Come on. We'll take you," Monica said. They made their way to the elevators and were soon on the maternity floor.

Monica could hear a baby crying and couldn't help smiling to herself. Ross walked over to the nurse's station and asked for Rachel's room. Soon he was on his way to be with her and Chandler and Monica were left alone again.

He wrapped his arms around her kissed her tenderly. "Do you know how much I love you, Mrs. Bing?" he said quietly.

"It couldn't possibly be as much as I love you," she replied, smiling up at him. "Chandler, can we go and look at the babies? Please?"

He smiled at her question and nodded. "Yeah. As long as you don't try to take one home for yourself," he teased and they walked hand in hand to the nursery.

==========

"They're so beautiful," Monica said quietly as she and Chandler stared at all the tiny babies in their bassinets through the window.

Chandler stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and kept looking at all the babies.

"You know something? Our babies are going to be so much more beautiful. As long as they look like you," Monica said and turned around in his arms to face him.

"Hey. Don't wish that on our children. Let's pray that they look like their mother," he replied and kissed her. He had to tell her. He had to tell her now.

She smiled at him. "You're such a sweetheart."

"Yeah, I know," he teased. "Listen, Mon. We need to talk."

"All right. Let's talk," she replied.

"Okay... This is hard. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to tell you this, Mon, but I have to."

"Chandler, is this something I don't want to hear?" she asked worriedly.

"It's just that I -"

"Chandler! Monica! Where's Rachel?! Where's the baby?!" Joey asked excitedly as he and Phoebe came down the hallway.

"Later," Monica whispered and squeezed her husband's hand gently. "She's in her room with Ross. And there's no baby yet. We should all probably go back there," she suggested and looked to Chandler.

"Yeah, you're right. Come on," Chandler said. He and Monica led them down the hallway and into Rachel's room.

"Hey, Rach. How are you doing?" Monica asked as she neared the bed.

Rachel looked up at her. She looked tired and weak. "It hurts," she panted. "I have no idea why you've wanted to do this all your life," she continued. "It's painful."

Monica laughed nervously. "Come on, Rach. It can't be _that_ bad."

"Oh yeah? Wait until _you're_ up here on this bed about to push another human being out of _your_ body."

Monica looked a little frightened. She looked up at Chandler and he smiled weakly at her, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I told you it would hurt," Phoebe added to the conversation.

Monica looked at Chandler again. "We need to talk now," she said quietly. "Guys, we're gonna step out for a minute. Good luck, Rach," she said and quickly led Chandler into the hallway.

"What is it?" he asked once they were outside the room.

"I just... I'm having second thoughts. Maybe we should wait a little longer before we have a baby... Remember when we watched that birthing video with Rachel?" He nodded. "Remember how scary that was?" He nodded again. "Well, seeing it in person isn't that great either."

He couldn't help laughing. "You're not scared, are you?" he teased. "You can do that. You're freakishly strong, remember?" She responded with a weak laugh. "Besides, there's not much you can do about it now."

"Not much I can do about it? What do you mean?" she asked worriedly.

"Well... I'm just saying that it's a little too late to change your mind..."


	4. Chapter Four

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Because of Your Love

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Chapter Four

"A little too late to change my mind? Chandler, what are you talking about?" Monica asked.

"This is what I've been trying to tell you, and we keep getting interrupted. Yesterday afternoon, your doctor called. She said something was strange in one of your tests, so she checked it out. She didn't want to tell me at first, but I insisted... Monica, you're pregnant."

She stared at him with wide eyes. "Pregnant? How can I be pregnant? I would know if I was pregnant... Wouldn't I?"

"I guess not," he smiled at her. "Actually, it's kind of funny, don't you think? I knew before you knew. I feel special," he teased.

"I can't believe this," she said, obviously still in shock. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"I couldn't," he replied. "See, I knew that if you had found out before me you'd want to surprise me somehow, right?" She nodded. "Well, I figured if you would do it for me, I had to do it for you. Besides, how many men get to be the ones to tell their wives that they're having a baby?"

She laughed. "I guess you're right... Hey, we're having a baby!" she exclaimed and jumped into his arms to hug him tightly.

"We sure are... You still upset about seeing Rachel like that?" he asked, concerned.

"Well... It might be hard, but it will be worth it," she smiled at him. "Especially since it's for you," she added and kissed him.

"Oh, isn't that sweet? I knocked you up and now you're going to be kind enough to deliver the baby for me. Thanks," he teased.

"Don't call it that," she responded and smacked his chest playfully.

"What?"

"You 'knocked me up?' Not my favorite choice of words, Chandler."

"Oh. Sorry. But I was only teasing. I think it's the most wonderful thing that could have happened to us," he said sincerely.

"Me too," she grinned. They hugged once more, then pulled apart. Monica adjusted her shirt and let her hand linger on her stomach when she realized that it was true. She was really having a baby.

He noticed her pause and reached over to put his hand on hers. "Hard to believe there's a baby in there, huh?" he said quietly. She simply nodded, still looking into his eyes, and felt the tears begin to flow. "Hey," he said soothingly, taking her into his arms again. "Don't be upset. We're having a baby."

"I- I'm not upset," she replied, wiping her tears away. "I'm just so happy. I mean, when we got married, I knew that eventually I'd wear you down and I'd convince you to have a baby, but there's was always a part of me that thought you might never really be ready for that. And now... You're just being so wonderful about it."

"Monica, I have to admit that I never really thought I'd want kids. But that was before I fell in love with you. You made me see what I never knew I always wanted. You got me over my first fear, right? Commitment? We _did_ get married," he smiled. "And the next step is a family. I can think of no other woman I would want to give birth to my children. You're the only one who could make me want that... I can just imagine waking up at three in the morning because our baby is crying. Then you get out of bed -"

"_I_ get out of bed?" she teased and wiped another tear away. "Why can't _you_ get out of bed?"

He chuckled. "Okay, fine. _I_ get out of bed, get the baby, and bring him back to our room so _you_ can feed him, and we just sit there in bed, looking at our baby, talking about how lucky we are. And then there will be those Saturday afternoons when I take our son out to the park to teach him how to ride his bike or play ball."

"What if we have a girl?" she asked.

"Then she'll be daddy's little girl, of course," he smiled. "And we'll go to the father-daughter dance at her school. And she'll always come running to me when she wants something because she'll have me wrapped around her little finger."

Monica laughed. "I love you, Chandler Bing. You're going to be the best father ever."

"I love you, too, Monica Bing. And you're going to be the best mother ever."

==========

"She's here," Ross informed the rest of the gang when he entered the waiting area. "Eight pounds, four ounces. She's perfect," he said excitedly.

"Congratulations, man," Joey smiled brightly and got up to hug him.

"Yeah, congratulations," the rest of the group echoed and followed Joey's lead.

"How's Rachel?" Monica asked. "Can we see her? And the baby?"

"Rachel's great. She's actually waiting for you guys. Come on," he urged and led them back to Rachel's room.

When they entered, Rachel was sitting up in bed, cradling a pink bundle in her arms. She looked up when they came in. "Hi," she whispered, then glanced back down at the baby.

The five others gathered around the bed to gaze at the new addition to their group. They all released their "oohs" and "awws."

"She's so beautiful," Phoebe said quietly.

"Yeah. She looks like Rach." Ross and Rachel exchanged glances and smiled at each other.

"Could I hold her?" Monica asked.

"Absolutely," Rachel replied. "She is your niece, after all." She carefully handed the baby to Monica who began to get teary-eyed again.

"She's so tiny," she whispered. She gently rocked the baby in her arms when she began to get fussy. Chandler looked over Monica's shoulder and smiled when the baby opened her eyes briefly and looked up at him. The baby made a gurgling sound. "I think she likes her Uncle Chandler," Monica laughed.

"Doesn't that make you want one, Monica? Wouldn't you just love to have a baby of your own?" Phoebe said and Monica looked over to her.

"What?" she asked. She didn't really think that now was the time to announce her pregnancy. She'd only heard the news herself a couple of hours earlier. Besides, today was Ross and Rachel's day in the spotlight.

"Doesn't that make you want a baby?" Phoebe repeated.

Chandler was listening with interest. He wasn't sure that Monica wanted everyone to know about the baby right away, so he kept quiet.

"Let's not talk about it right now," she said, trying to dodge the subject. "We've got a baby to gush over. It's Ross and Rachel's day."

"And Rachel would very much like to know if you and Chandler are planning on hearing the pitter patter of little feet anytime soon," Rachel interjected. "You haven't talked him into it yet, have you?"

"Talked me into it? I'm standing right here, people," Chandler replied.

"So? Has she? Talked you into it, I mean." Phoebe asked.

"She doesn't have to talk me into," Chandler answered. "We both want kids."

"Yeah. So have you knocked her up yet?" Rachel asked.

"Knocked me up? I'm getting a little tired of hearing people talk about 'knocking me up' today," Monica said, beginning to get a little frustrated.

"I'm sorry. Come on, Mon. Are you trying to get pregnant?" Rachel asked. "We all want to know."

"Yeah," they all agreed, looking at Chandler and Monica.

"Guys, don't you think that's a little personal?" Chandler responded.

"All right. We've got a little bet going on here, and we need to get it settled. So would you just answer the question please?" Joey insisted.

"A bet? What are you betting on?" Monica asked curiously.

"Phoebe and Ross said that you two would be trying for a baby by the time this one was born. Me and Rachel thought it would take you a little longer to talk Chandler into it. So we placed a little wager on it," Joey informed them. "So? What's it gonna be?"

Chandler looked at Monica and they both smiled. Monica nodded, encouraging Chandler to tell them. "I guess Joey and Rachel owe Phoebe and Ross some money," he grinned. "Monica's pregnant."

"Oh, come on. You're lying," Joey said.

"No, I'm not," Chandler assured him. "She's definitely pregnant."

"I knew it!" Ross said excitedly. "Rach, I think you owe me one hundred big ones," he grinned at her.

"How about I give birth to your baby and we call it even? Oh wait, I already did that. There. Even," she replied, satisfied with her compromise.

"That's not fair. I can't give birth to Phoebe's baby," Joey whined. "I'm out a hundred bucks."

  
"We'll see what we can work out," Phoebe winked at him.

Monica laughed and looked at the baby in her arms again. She was going to have one of her own in a matter of months. She couldn't believe it. She looked up at Chandler again and smiled. They were going to be so happy...

==========

****

Because of Your Love

__

Kenny Chesney

Baby, I don't understand

How just the touch of your hand

Can make me feel invincible

Do you know just where you take me?

Do you know how high you make me?

I need your kiss like oxygen

With your arms warm around me

When your eyes look deep into me, it's unstoppable

Baby, anything is possible

Everything I wanna be

Any dream I wanna dream I can

Because of your love

Anywhere I ever go

With all of my heart I know

I am the man I am

Because of your love

Don't know how I lived before you

Now I live to explore you

Take me, girl, to your secret world

Or I could swim in your deep blue passion

Or I could feel your love come crashing

Over me endlessly

Whether you're right by my side

Or whether you and I are a million miles apart

I can always feel you in my heart

Everything I wanna be

Any dream I wanna dream I can

Because of your love

Anywhere I ever go

With all of my heart I know

I am the man I am

Because of your love

Everything I wanna be

Any dream I wanna dream I can

Because of your love

Anywhere I ever go

With all of my heart I know

I am the man I am

Because of your love

==========

I can either leave this here, or I can continue, depending on how many people are interested in reading more. lol Honestly, I'll probably end up writing a few more chapters anyway, but please let me know what you thought.


	5. Chapter Five

A/N - I'm sorry that it's taken so long for me to get these chapters up, but I've been busy. I added chapters five and six tonight, and there may be one more tomorrow night. I hope you enjoy them, and please let me know what you think.

Because of Your Love

__

Chapter Five

"Chandler, are you gonna be able to meet me today for the sonogram?" Monica asked her husband as he headed toward the door to leave for work.

"How could I miss it?" he replied and walked back over to kiss her again before he had to go. He leaned over to place a gentle kiss on her stomach. "I can't wait to see you today, baby," he said, then straightened up again. "Wild horses couldn't keep me away," he assured Monica.

She smiled at him. "Then make sure you're at the doctor's office at two. And don't be late. I don't want you to miss anything."

"I'll be there, I promise," he smiled and kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she called after him as she watched him leave their apartment. She placed her hand on her stomach, as she'd done what must have been millions of times since she'd learned of her pregnancy, and began to talk to her unborn child - another acquired habit.

"You're a lucky little baby. I love you, and your daddy loves you, and we can't wait to meet you." Today they were going to take the first big step toward that meeting. Monica was scheduled to have her first sonogram that afternoon. A part of her couldn't help wondering if it was all really a dream. Well, the morning sickness certainly wasn't a dream, but she still couldn't help doubting it. How could she be this happy? How could she finally have everything she'd always wanted?

==========

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it," Monica scolded when Chandler entered the doctor's waiting room and sat down beside her.

He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek, then looked at her, confused. "Didn't you say that I should be here at two?" She nodded. "Mon, it's ten minutes before two. I'm early."

She glanced at her watch. "Oh. So it is," she laughed. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm just a little anxious."

"Don't be sorry. I understand. I'm anxious, too," he admitted. "I wouldn't have been this early if I wasn't." He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"What? Sitting in the waiting room of an OB/GYN?" she questioned.

"Yeah, that too," he said nervously, glancing around the room for the first time since he'd entered. He was the only man in the room. "This _is_ a little weird."

She laughed. "Now, Chandler, wouldn't you do anything for little baby Bing?" she smiled and placed his hand on her stomach.

"Well, you've got me on that one." He spoke to her stomach next. "I'm doing this for you, baby. Remember what your poor old dad has done for you when you're older."

"Mrs. Bing? You can come back now," the nurse informed her cheerfully.

"Here goes," she said excitedly and led Chandler back with her.

==========

"Wow. There's a lot of stuff in here," Chandler noticed when he and Monica were alone in the examining room. He looked briefly at a few of the informational posters on the walls, then picked up a pamphlet from the counter. "The Miracle of Birth." He read the title aloud and thumbed through the pages. "Whoa. This is a little more than I need to see," he said and returned the pamphlet to its spot on the counter.

"Chandler, you're gonna see a lot more than _that_ in the delivery room. Get used to it," Monica warned him.

The door opened and a middle-aged female doctor entered. "Hello, Monica." She noticed Chandler standing by Monica's side. "This must be your husband," she smiled.

"Hi. Chandler Bing," he replied nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Chandler. You know, I think you're the only man I've ever known who officially knew about his wife's pregnancy before she knew it herself," she laughed. "You should be proud." Dr. Jenkins turned to the equipment to prepare for the sonogram.

"Oh, I am," he answered, still a little nervous. He didn't feel very comfortable at all.

"Sweetie, don't be nervous," Monica soothed. "It'll be quick and painless, I promise," she smiled at him. He returned her smile with a weak one of his own.

"All right. Are you two ready to see your baby?" the doctor asked.

"Absolutely," Monica said quietly.

Dr. Jenkins smiled and began the sonogram. Soon there was a tiny image on the screen.

"Is that it? Is that the baby?" Monica asked in awe.

"Yes. This," she pointed at a part of the image, "is your baby."

Monica felt tears running down her cheeks as she gazed at the first picture of her baby. She felt Chandler squeeze her hand gently.

"I'll just leave the two of you alone for a minute," the doctor said and stepped out of the room.

Neither of them spoke for a moment. They were both too engrossed in the tiny image of their baby frozen on the screen.

"That- That's the most incredible thing I've ever seen," Chandler said quietly, putting his arm around Monica's shoulders. He kissed the top of her head gently.

Monica reached up and wiped some of her tears away with her hand. "I can't believe we made that. I can't believe... That's you and me. Right there," she said, pointing at the screen. "We're- We're really having a baby. There's really a baby in there," she cried. She'd never been more happy than she was at that moment.

"Yeah, there sure is," he responded. Chandler was still having a hard time comprehending what was happening. He was looking at his child. The child that had been created because of his love for Monica - and her love for him. "Thank you," he said quietly as he reached up to brush away a few of his own tears. "For making me see how much I want this... And for giving it to me."

"No, thank _you_," she replied, finally looking away from the screen and up to him. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," he whispered and held her close to him.

==========

"So how'd it go?" Joey asked eagerly when he saw Monica and Chandler going into their apartment later that afternoon. He didn't even give them time to open the door.

"It was great, Joe," Chandler replied, unlocking the door for Monica. The three of them went inside. "Monica's healthy; the baby's healthy; everything's great.

"Did you get to see it?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, we saw it," Monica answered and reached into her purse. "Our baby's first picture," she informed him as she handed the slip of paper to him.

"That's it? Chandler, are you telling me that you can actually see a baby in this?"

"Sure I can," he replied and pointed out to Joey what the doctor had pointed out to him earlier. "That's the baby."

"That's it?" Joey questioned, still not seeing what Chandler was trying to show him.

"Joey, I'm not even two months along. The baby's brand new," Monica laughed as she put away the groceries she and Chandler had picked up on the way home. "You'll be able to make it out better soon."

"I don't know if I'll be able to make it out at all. It just looks like a bunch of squiggly lines to me... I guess you have to have had a part in making it to figure it out," he grinned.

"Yeah, I think you're right," Chandler smiled back at him. "I guess when you're having a baby, you'll be able to see it."

"Oh well. That won't be for awhile, so I'll just pretend I see it for now." Joey turned to Monica. "Cute baby you've got there, Mon," he said, returning the picture to her. "I've got to meet Phoebe for dinner. See you guys later," he said before leaving the apartment.

"Phoebe? Am I missing something?" Chandler asked.

"No. This is their little dinner to talk about us, remember?"

"Oh yeah. That," Chandler nodded. He took the sonogram picture from Monica and turned to the refrigerator. "I think we need to put this up, don't you?" he smiled at her.

"Yes, I do," she agreed. "But not there."

She retreated to the room that would soon become the nursery and returned with a small box. She placed it on the kitchen table and opened it to reveal a picture frame with the words "Our Baby" in pink and blue letters. "Remember that shopping trip with Rachel?"

"Yeah," Chandler replied as he watched Monica put the sonogram picture inside the frame.

"This was one of the things that I bought," she informed him, then showed him the picture inside the frame. "What do you think?"

"It's great," he answered. He paused, looking at the picture frame Monica was holding, then looked into her eyes. "Mon, do you ever have moments when you just can't believe that this is real?" he asked, gesturing toward the picture, then her stomach.

"Every minute of every day," she responded. She put the picture frame on the table and wrapped her arms around Chandler's neck. "It's hard to believe that I managed to find the man of my dreams right in front of me, that I married him, and that I'm carrying his baby. And, I'm sorry, honey, but it's even harder for me to believe that you're this enthusiastic about the fact that you're going to be a father."

He smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her tenderly. "Yeah, that last part is a little hard for me to believe, too," he admitted. "But I'm _very_ happy that this is happening. Especially with you."

She grinned and went back to pick up the picture. "It's time to find a home for this," she said and went over to clear a place for the picture frame on the coffee table. "I want it where everybody can see it. After all, it _is_ our baby's first picture."


	6. Chapter Six

****

Because of Your Love

__

Chapter Six

Monica returned home from work later than usual and found Chandler sleeping on the couch with her copy of _What to Expect When You're Expecting_ lying on his chest. She smiled at his choice of literature. Surprisingly, he hadn't "gone Chandler" once since they'd learned of the pregnancy. He'd been more supportive than she ever could have imagined. He was reading up on parenthood and pregnancy - although he refused to get into anything too graphic. He had told Monica that he'd just wait to learn all of that through experience. Monica smiled at that thought, still looking at her sleeping husband. She picked up the book and closed it, then carefully sat down on the edge of the couch.

Chandler stirred at the movement and slowly opened his eyes. "Hey, you," he said sleepily. "You're late. I was worried."

"Isn't that sweet?" she smiled. "Things got a little busy. I would've called you, but I couldn't get away."

  
"You didn't work too hard, did you?" he asked, concerned. "You know that you can't overexert yourself, don't you? It's not good for you or the baby."

"I know, I know," she assured him. "You know I wouldn't do anything that I thought would hurt the baby."

He smiled and carefully sat up. He pulled her into his arms, with her back to him, and placed his hands on the bump that had begun to show on her stomach. At first, Monica had complained about it, saying that this was the first time she'd had that much weight on her since high school. It took a day or two, but she got used to it and realized just how much more important that added weight was to her. She'd never been more happy to gain a few pounds.

"I saw your reading selection," she laughed. "Read anything interesting?"

"Of course. But I think I need to pick up something for fathers-to-be, not mothers-to-be. I feel a little silly reading about how much bigger my breasts are gonna get."

Monica laughed and smacked his leg playfully. "Chandler Bing, sometimes I just can't believe you," she teased. "I'll pick you up a book for daddies-to-be tomorrow," she promised.

"Thank you, dear," he grinned and kissed the top of her head. "So how are you and baby Bing feeling today?"

"You mean besides the little incident this morning?" she replied, referring to the most severe case of morning sickness she'd had. "We're fine now. I gave your child some pickles and ice cream and everything was fine."

"Pickles and ice cream. I always heard women wanted that when they were pregnant, but I always thought it would be something a little more weird."

"Pickles and mint chocolate chip ice cream isn't weird enough for you? If I were you, I'd be having a little morning, noon, and night sickness if I had to watch someone eat that stuff... But I can't help it. That's what the baby wants," she smiled. "And what _I_ want, at the moment. Do we have anymore in the freezer?" she asked hopefully.

"I'll check," he replied and kissed her again before heading to the kitchen. He opened the freezer and took out the ice cream. "I should have known we'd have plenty of this around. I have to keep you happy, you know."

"Oh, I know. And you do a very good job of it..."

==========

"Anyone seen Chandler?" Monica asked the next afternoon when she entered Central Perk. Joey, Phoebe, Ross, and Rachel were sitting in the coffeehouse, gushing over baby Sydney. She sat down beside Rachel on the couch and smiled down at the baby.

"I've not seen him, Mon, but he's probably at work, don't you think?" Ross questioned.

"Well, none of _us_ are," she retorted, a little irritated. She wasn't even sure why.

"Sorry. I forgot not to mess with the pregnant lady," he laughed. "Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"No, no. Nothing's wrong. I just... I just needed him for something," Monica replied.

"Wanna hold Sydney?" Rachel asked, handing the baby to Monica.

"Of course I want to hold my favorite niece," she cooed and cradled the baby in her arms. "Hi, sweetie. It's Auntie Monica."

"Actually we were going to ask if you and Chandler could baby-sit tonight," Rachel said. "Ross and I wanted to go out to dinner tonight." She squeezed Ross' hand and smiled over at him. Since the birth of their daughter, they'd begun to grow closer than ever. Although they both agreed that they didn't want to be together just for the baby, they were giving it another try.

"You know I'd love to, but... Couldn't Phoebe do it tonight? I kind of wanted to talk to Chandler about something," she replied, hoping that she could get away with only giving them that much information.

She was wrong. "What were you going to talk to him about?" Joey asked curiously.

"I know," Phoebe grinned. "I've been there. I can see right through you," she smiled, pointing at Monica.

"What? I just need to talk to him," Monica insisted.

"Sure. That's what they all say," Phoebe continued.

Rachel glanced over at Monica and suddenly realized what was going on. "Oh! Okay, I understand. Pheebs, will you help me out? Monica _really_ needs to 'talk' to Chandler tonight," Rachel grinned.

"Sure, sure," Phoebe promised. "I'll keep the baby."

"Hey! What's going on here?" Ross asked, wondering what the girls could possibly be talking about.

"Believe me, Ross, you don't want to know," Rachel responded.

"It's nothing. They're making too much out of this. I just wanted to talk to my husband about something," Monica insisted again.

"Yeah, sure. There might be a _little_ talking, but I think I know what's gonna be happening in the Bing household tonight," Rachel winked at Phoebe.

"Come on, you guys! What are you talking about?" Joey asked. Both he and Ross were a little frustrated.

"Monica's horny," Phoebe said quietly.

"Phoebe! I am _not_ horny!" Monica shouted, causing everyone in Central Perk to look directly at her. "_Corny_. I'm not _corny_," she tried to cover. She felt her cheeks turn red hot, and scowled at Phoebe. "I'm not horny," she repeated, this time much quieter.

"Oh yes you are, Monica," Rachel responded. "You're in your fourth month, aren't you?" Monica nodded, knowing she'd been figured out. "Phoebe went through it, I went through it, and now _you're_ going through it. Hey, at least you've got someone to put out the fires, if you know what I mean," she teased.

"Okay, I've heard enough. I know my sister's married to Chandler, I know she's having his baby, and I know they...you know...but I don't need to hear about it," Ross said, blushing.

"Monica is horny," Joey grinned like a little schoolboy.

Monica stood and handed the baby back to Rachel. "I think I'm gonna just go home before I get anymore embarrassed," she said and walked away from the group.

"I hope you get some good lovin' tonight!" Phoebe yelled as she watched Monica exit the coffeehouse. The others looked at her, a little surprised. "Well if she's gonna get some, I might as well wish her the best."

==========

"Hey, beautiful," Chandler smiled when he saw his wife standing in their kitchen that evening. He handed her a small bouquet of flowers and kissed her tenderly.

"Hey, honey," Monica replied and returned his kiss with a more passionate one.

Once the kiss was over, Chandler smiled at his wife. "Phoebe was right. You _are_ horny," he laughed.

"Chandler!" Monica exclaimed. "Phoebe told you?"

"Yeah, but she didn't really have to. I kind of figured it out. I think I read something about this in one of those books you've got lying around here."

"Oh." She knew she was blushing. "I can't help it, Chandler," she continued, turning away from him to put the flowers in a small vase on the table. "It's the pregnancy. I just... I really, _really_, needed to see you today."

"Hey, I'm not complaining," he assured her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "And what do you mean you _needed_ to see me today? Did you find somebody else to take care of things already?" he teased.

She turned back to face him. "No, but I'd really appreciate it if you just stopped making jokes and got down to business..."

===========

Hours later they were lying in bed, wrapped in each other's arms.

"Thank you, Chandler," Monica said quietly, holding tightly onto her husband.

"You don't have to thank me for that," he chuckled. "Believe me, I enjoyed it."

She laughed. "Me too. Boy, the things you have to put up with. I don't see how you can handle it," she teased.

"Oh, it's tough, but I'd do anything for you, honey... By the way, just how much longer is this fourth month thing gonna last?"


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N - Again, I'm sorry that it took so long to get this up, but I've been sick. This has been written for a couple of weeks, I just haven't been able to post it. And it's one of my weakest chapters, so I'm sorry about that, but I hope you like it anyway. I have the next chapter finished, but I'm really not completely pleased with it and it's an important one, so I'm gonna work on it a little more. I'm trying to decide if I want to do something a little different or just go with the norm. Any preferences? lol I'll have it up as soon as possible.

By the way, thanks to everyone for your very kind reviews. It's good to know that you're enjoying this. Thank you.

Because of Your Love

__

Chapter Seven

"Chandler? Honey? Are you asleep?" Monica whispered as she nudged her husband gently. It was almost three in the morning, but she couldn't sleep. And if she couldn't sleep, she certainly wasn't going to let _him_ sleep.

"Yeah, I'm asleep," he replied with a yawn.

"Chandler, come on. Get up, sweetie. I can't sleep," she whined. She was sitting up in bed with her bedside lamp on, and a book balanced on her protruding belly. She was a little more than six months along.

Chandler groaned and rolled over, squinting to look at her. "What's the matter?"

"It's the baby. Your child is driving me crazy with all of this kicking."

"_My_ child? Monica, to the best of my knowledge, that baby is kind of yours, too. Why is it always _my_ child when it's kicking in the middle of the night or sitting on your bladder?"

"Because _my_ child would never do that," she countered. "I'm sorry, Chandler, but I really can't sleep. I tried watching television, and that didn't work. Then I tried reading, and that didn't work either. Maybe we could...you know."

"To put you to sleep? I must really be losing my touch," he sighed.

"Okay, fine. We won't. But you're gonna have to stay up with me. I can't take this," she complained. "I have to carry the baby, and I have to put up with all of this stuff. The least you could do is be miserable with me for a little while."

"I'm sorry. I did this to you. I'll own up to my actions," he smiled weakly. He was still trying to wake himself up.

"Okay. Let's look at baby names," she suggested, picking up the book from her stomach. "I've been making a list, in alphabetical order, of names we might want to consider. One for boys, one for girls." She handed him two sheets of paper. "I also have a list with them in order of my personal preference, and another one with the names that we should steer clear of because they don't go so well with Bing." She handed the next two lists to him. "So, how about we -"

"There's the Monica I know and love," Chandler teased. He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned in to give her a tender kiss. "All right. Let's pick out some names..."

==========

"Why don't you just stay at home today, Mon?" Chandler suggested. "You don't need to be on your feet when you're feeling this bad." After her night of hardly any sleep, Monica wasn't feeling up to work at all. She was tired, and feeling a little sick. But she was insisting on going.

"Chandler, I'm not on my feet anymore than I have to be. You know I've cut back lately. Besides, no one knows what to do when I'm not there. I can't just take the day off."

"Yes you can, and you're going to, whether you like it or not. You look horrible."

She looked at him, frowning. "Thanks a lot. That's exactly what I need to hear when I'm standing here with a huge stomach and swollen feet - not to mention the mood swings. Haven't you learned anything in the last six months, Chandler?"

"Sweetheart, you know I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you look so tired. You need to crawl back into bed and just relax for the day, okay? Please, Monica, just do it for me - and the baby," he begged.

"Are you going to work?" she asked.

"Not when you're feeling like this. I'd be driving myself crazy all day thinking about you... Well, I do that everyday, but this time I'd be worried sick."

She smiled weakly. "All right. Can we go back to bed? I want you to hold me."

"I'd love to," he smiled and led her back into the bedroom.

They crawled into bed together, with Monica's back to Chandler. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her stomach.

"The baby's really kicking, isn't it?" he grinned. He loved to feel their baby kicking. It helped him to realize that there really was going to be a living, breathing baby around in just a few short months.

"Yeah... Chandler, about the baby... Could we find out whether we're having a boy or a girl? I know we agreed that we wanted to wait, but I just can't stand calling our baby 'it' all the time."

"But I thought we said we wanted the element of surprise in the delivery room. I just... Can't we just wait? I just like the idea of hearing the doctor say 'it's a boy' or 'it's a girl' when the baby's finally here."

"She'll say that either way, honey. Please," she begged again.

He smiled to himself. "I normally can't tell you no, but I really, really want to this time. It would just mean a lot to me if we waited."

She sighed. "Okay. If it really means that much to you."

"It does," he agreed.

"Then we'll wait. But you have to stop calling our baby 'it' all the time."

"All right. It's a deal."

They stayed there in silence for the next few minutes, feeling the baby kick. The activity finally subsided and Chandler heard Monica yawn.

"Sleep well," he whispered and kissed the back of her neck.

  
"Sing to me," she said quietly.

"Sing?"

"Yeah. Sing. You know, a song. Sing to me and the baby."

"Monica, I can't sing. And if I did, I'd keep you up with the racket," he laughed.

"You have a very nice voice. And when the baby gets here, you'll be singing lullabies all the time, so you might as well get some practice in now."

"What should I sing?" he asked. He smiled to himself again, realizing that he'd do anything for the love of his life.

"Um... How about 'You Are My Sunshine?' Do you know that one?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think so... Mon, I feel a little silly about this."

"You've sung to me before, Chandler. Come on," she urged.

"When have I sung to you before? I don't remember singing to you."

"You should. You've sung to me hundreds of times... You sang to me on our wedding night, when we were dancing in our room. Remember? We didn't have music, so you sang to me." She smiled, remembering that special night she'd shared with her husband.

"Oh, yes. I did, didn't I?" he chuckled. "All right. I'll sing to you. But only because I love you two so much."

"Thank you," she said quietly and closed her eyes, waiting for him to begin.

He cleared his throat and began singing softly, still holding Monica in his arms. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away..."

==========

"Hey, guys," Ross said cheerfully upon entering Monica and Chandler's apartment the next afternoon. He brought in baby Sydney in her carrier, and Rachel was following close behind him.

"Hi," Rachel smiled at her friends and walked over to hug Monica who was sitting at the kitchen table with Chandler. "How are you feeling today? Any better than yesterday?"

"Yeah," Monica sighed. "Much better. And I'm looking forward to taking care of my niece today," she cooed, looking into the baby carrier.

Ross unfastened Sydney and handed her to Monica. "Thanks for taking her today," he began, then looked at Chandler. "Don't let Monica do too much. I don't want her hurting herself or the baby because of me."

"Or me," Rachel added. "Monica, please promise me that you won't overdo yourself."

"Guys, I'll be fine. Besides, Chandler and I need as much practice as we can get before d-day," she teased. "And I'll be sure to let him do all the hard work."

"Thanks," Chandler laughed.

"Bye, sweetie. Mommy loves you," Rachel whispered to the baby and kissed her head gently.

"Daddy loves you, too," Ross added and kissed his daughter as well.

"Bye guys," they both continued before heading out the door.

"So, Sydney, what would you like to do to drive Uncle Chandler crazy first?" Monica said quietly, smiling first at the baby, then at Chandler.

"I think she'd like to be a perfect angel because she loves him so very, very much," he responded and reached over to take the baby from Monica. "Come over and sit in the living room. You'll be more comfortable," he said, gesturing for Monica to join him as he walked over to sit on the couch.

Monica got up slowly, then stood at the table for a moment. "You do realize that you just made me overdo myself, don't you?" she teased. "I didn't _have_ to get up."

"No, but you wanted to. I know you're more comfortable over here. Especially when you're holding Sydney."

"You know me too well," she replied and sat down beside him. He handed the baby to her and watched as she cradled Sydney in her arms.

"You are so beautiful," he said quietly, amazed that Monica could look more beautiful now than she ever had. She'd always been the most beautiful woman in the world to him, but since she'd been pregnant - especially once she started showing - she'd been even more gorgeous.

She looked up at him, blushing, and smiled. He could still make her blush, after all the years they'd known each other. "You're full of it, but thanks anyway," she laughed.

"No, I mean it," he insisted. "You were meant to be a mother. It suits you so well... I'm gonna have to keep you pregnant all the time," he chuckled.

"All the time, huh? How many kids do you want, Chandler?"

"Oh, I don't know. How many kids can one woman have?"

"I think we should wait until this one is born before we talk about baby number two. I haven't been through labor and delivery yet. I might not be able to handle it. And if _I_ can't handle, I'm going to make sure that _you_ can't," she smiled at him.

"I'm sure you will," he smiled. "Seriously, Mon, how many kids would you like to have?"

"Seriously?" She looked down at the baby in her arms and smiled at her neice. "If having a child of our own feels anything like this, I'm gonna want quite a few," she said honestly, looking up at him. "But we're still going to have to see about the labor and delivery. Maybe the epidural will block the pain and I'll be able to handle it."

"I thought you didn't want an epidural."

"It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, right?" He nodded. "Then I changed my mind. I've talked to Rachel and Phoebe, and I think I'm gonna need the drugs."

"Hey, if you need the drugs, then you'll have the drugs," he promised. "So, with the drugs, how many?"

"Wow. You really want to know, don't you?"

He nodded. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't," he responded. "Monica, the last few months have been incredible, and I can only imagine how much better it's going to be once our baby is here."

"You're right," she smiled. "I want at least three," she finally answered his question.

"Three? Three sounds like a good number," he grinned and leaned over to kiss her tenderly. "Speaking of three, we've got less than three months to go before we have baby number one," he reminded her.

"Yes, I know," she laughed. "I _am_ the one with the baby inside of me, remember?" she teased.

"Yeah," he grinned. "The first of three."


	8. Chapter Eight

A/N - When I started writing this chapter, I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to do it. I wrote one version, and hated it, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It might be completely ridiculous - I'll leave that up to you. So if you _do_ hate it, let me know. I've got a whole different version if anyone wants to read it. lol By the way, I know hardly anything about childbirth. I've only been a part of that process once, and that was over twenty years ago. And I was kind of young then - well, I was brand new - so it's hard to remember exactly what happened. lol So I'm sorry if this chapter sounds stupid at points. Anyway... Sorry for the rambling. I hope you enjoy it, and - again - thank you so much for the reviews. It means a lot to me to know that people enjoy my writing. Let me know what you think...

Because of Your Love

__

Chapter Eight

"I still can't believe you guys are going to be parents," Ross smiled at Monica and Chandler while the entire gang sat, sipping coffee, in Central Perk. "My little sister and my best friend, having a baby."

Chandler smiled at Monica and kissed her tenderly. "Believe it, Ross. You're gonna be an uncle any day now."

"Hey, I'm gonna be an uncle, too," Joey whined. "I don't like being left out of this whole thing."

"Of course you're gonna be an uncle, Joey," Monica assured him. She rubbed her stomach and smiled. "This baby's going to have a lot of people to love."

"Do you feel like you're going to explode any second now?" Phoebe asked curiously. "Do you think today could be the day?"

Monica sighed. "No, I don't think so. Not today."

"I was kind of hoping this would be it," Rachel said as she rocked Sydney in her arms. The baby was nearly asleep. "Sydney is going to love having a little playmate," she smiled.

"I wish it _would_ happen today," Monica added. "Being pregnant has been wonderful, but I'm ready to meet this baby. And I'd kind of like to get the labor and delivery over and done with," she laughed.

"It'll happen soon," Chandler assured her.

"I sure hope so," Monica sighed. "Honey, can we go upstairs? I'd kind of like to lie down."

"Sure, honey. Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah. Just tired," she answered as he helped her up from the couch. "Bye guys."

==========

"Have a nice nap, sweetheart," Chandler said as he tucked his wife into bed. He kissed her tenderly. "Just yell if you need me." He turned to leave the bedroom, but Monica called him back.

"Chandler?"

"What is it, Mon?" he asked, walking back to the bed.

"I was just thinking... If I say some horrible things to you when it's time to have this baby, I'd like to apologize in advance."

"What horrible things are you planning on saying to me?" he teased.

"Well, I'm not _planning_ on saying anything, but women in labor tend to say some awful things to the men who got them into these situations. Like, 'you're never touching me again,' or 'I hate you.' I _will_ let you touch me again, and I love you very, very much, no matter what I say in the delivery room."

"That's good to know," he smiled at her. "I love you, too, you know."

"I know," she said quietly and closed her eyes.

"Sweet dreams," Chandler whispered and kissed her forehead once more before entering the living room.

==========

Three hours later, Monica was still sleeping soundly. Chandler had been in to check on her several times, and she seemed to be resting peacefully. He started to think differently when he heard her scream his name from the bedroom.

"Chandler! Get in here!"

Chandler quickly jumped up from the couch, spilling a bowl of popcorn all over the living room floor, and rushed into the bedroom. When he got there, he could see that Monica was in pain. She was clutching her stomach and moaning.

"This is it. We're havin' a baby!" Chandler exclaimed excitedly. He paused, unsure about the whole thing. "Are we? Are we having a baby?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, a little frustrated that he had to ask a question with such an obvious answer. "Chandler, it really hurts," she moaned.

"I know, sweetheart... I'm gonna call a cab, and then we'll get you to the hospital." He started to pick up the phone, but she stopped him.

"Chandler, honey, I don't think there's time."

He looked at her, confused. "You don't think there's time? Mon, there _has_ to be time. It just started. It's supposed to take a long time with the first baby," he insisted. "I read about it. I read everything."

"It didn't just start," she admitted. "I thought it was the Mexican food we had last night."

"You've been in labor since last night?" She nodded. "And you didn't tell me?!" he exclaimed, completely frightened about the whole situation.

"It told you, Chandler. I thought it was the Mexican food..." She moaned again, more scared than she'd ever been in her life. She couldn't have the baby here. Not with Chandler. He'd lose it as soon as he caught sight of blood, and she certainly couldn't do it herself. "My water already broke, Chandler, and I think the baby's coming," she said, looking up at him.

"When did your water break? Is that something else you didn't think you needed to tell me?" he asked, still shocked that this was happening.

"Does it really matter? I'm having the baby now. Stop freaking out, and do something!"

"All right... I have to get you to the hospital."

"There's no time. It's coming. You're gonna have to help me, Chandler. Please just help me," she pleaded.

He looked into her eyes and could see that she was terrified. He knew that, of all times, this was _not_ the time to freak out. "Of course," he said nervously, and assumed the position. "Whoa."

"What? Is something wrong?" Monica asked worriedly.

"No... I can, uh... I can see the head," he said and took a deep breath. He felt like he was going to pass out.

"Don't pass out on me now! I need you!" Monica yelled.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Just catch the baby. I'll do the rest," she panted and began pushing.

"It's coming, Mon!" Chandler said excitedly as he watched the birth of their child in amazement. "You're doing so great, sweetheart. I love you so much."

"I can't do this," Monica sighed, throwing her head back against the pillows. "This hurts so much more than I thought it would," she panted, trying to remember what she and Chandler had learned in their Lamaze classes.

"Yes you can," he assured her. "You're the strongest person I know, Mon. You're amazing. You can do this. Just think about the little baby we're gonna have as soon as you're finished... Just push a little more. The baby's coming, honey, I just need you to push a little more."

Monica gathered up the last of her strength and pushed as hard as she could until she heard her baby's first cries. She looked toward Chandler, trying to get a glimpse of the baby he was holding. "Chandler?" she said softly, completely amazed at what had just happened in their very own bedroom.

"It's a boy," he said quietly, holding the baby up slightly for Monica to see, being careful with the umbilical cord.

Monica started crying along with her son - and Chandler - and stared at the baby in awe. "A boy. We have a boy," she said quietly, out of strength and thoroughly relieved that the baby was finally out - and doing wonderfully, as far as she could tell, for a completely unplanned home birth.

"He's perfect," Chandler said and smiled up at Monica. He suddenly realized what had just happened. "You just had a baby! I have to call an ambulance!" he exclaimed, and carefully placed the baby on Monica's stomach. He picked up the phone and dialed 911.

==========

"Chandler? Monica?" Joey yelled when he entered their apartment several minutes later. The place looked like a disaster area. Chandler was going to be in big trouble...

"We're in the bedroom!" Chandler called.

"Whoa. I'll just come back when you guys are finished," Joey replied, turning toward the door.

"No, Joey. Come on in," Chandler answered and smiled at his wife and son.

When Joey entered the bedroom, his eyes widened in shock. Monica was now holding the baby, wrapped in a blue blanket Chandler had gotten from the nursery after the 911 operator had given him instructions on what to do for Monica and the baby until the paramedics arrived. "What happened?!" he asked when he finally found the words to speak.

"Shh..." Chandler said, placing a finger to his lips. "We had a baby."

"We?" Monica teased.

"Okay. _Monica_ had a baby. I just helped a little," he corrected himself.

"How? Why? _Here_?" Joey questioned, confused. "You're supposed to do this in a hospital, guys."

"There wasn't time," Monica informed him.

"And there's an ambulance on the way," Chandler added.

"Wow. You didn't pass out at the first sight of blood?"

"Well... Almost... But I didn't. I had to do it, so I did it. Everything was fine," he replied, quite proud of his accomplishment.

==========

The ambulance arrived a few minutes later and took Monica, Chandler, and the baby to the hospital. Monica was settled into her room, resting, and Chandler was waiting in the hospital's lobby for the rest of their friends to arrive. He had sent Joey to give them the good news.

He smiled when he saw the four of them coming toward him, with smiles on their own faces. "A boy?" Ross asked.

"Yes, a boy," Chandler said proudly. "Seven pounds, eleven ounces."

"Seven eleven," Joey giggled.

"Congratulations!" the others exclaimed and embraced the proud father.

"Guys, he's so perfect. He's so tiny and adorable and perfect," Chandler smiled brightly.

"How's Monica?" Ross asked.

"She's perfect, too," he responded. "But she's really tired. She's waiting for you. She wants to show you our son... Our son," he repeated. "I have a son!"

==========

Monica cradled the baby in her arms, smiling at the little boy. He looked just like his father. She and Chandler had both seen it. It had thrilled him when Monica told him that the baby looked just like him. The baby yawned just as Monica heard the door open.

"I brought company," Chandler informed her as he led the others into the room. They all gasped when they saw the baby.

"Meet the newest addition to the group," Monica smiled at her friends.

"He's so adorable," Phoebe whispered. "Wow. You guys make pretty babies," she added, looking up to Chandler and Monica.

"And we don't?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, of course," Phoebe replied, turning to look at Ross and Rachel. "Sydney's beautiful. I'm just saying that this baby is a little bit cuter." She leaned in closer to Rachel to whisper, a little too loudly. "It's their day. Don't ruin it."

"Our baby is perfect," Chandler input. "We don't care what you think."

"That's right, honey," Monica smiled up at him, then back at the baby. "Mommy and Daddy think you're perfect, sweetie. Don't listen to your crazy aunts and uncles."

"I'm his only biological uncle, and _I_ think he's perfect," Ross said quietly, walking a little closer to the bed to get a better look at his nephew.

The baby yawned again, then opened his eyes to look up at Monica. She smiled at him and felt a tear run down her cheek. She had waited so long for this moment, and now she was finally experiencing it - with Chandler. She couldn't ask for anything else. She gently stroked the baby's cheek, then reached up to brush the tears away from her own. Chandler kissed the top of her head.

"We should leave you guys alone," Rachel said quietly, starting to get a little teary-eyed herself. She'd been there. She knew how it felt.

"Yeah. We'll see you guys later," the others agreed and exited the room.

"How do you feel?" Chandler asked quietly. He knew she was exhausted.

"I'm wonderful," she yawned. "Tired, but wonderful... Why don't you hold your son?" she asked, smiling up at him.

He returned her smile and took the baby from her, then sat down in a chair by Monica's bed. "Hey, baby boy," he said quietly, looking at his sleepy son. They'd all had a long day, but Monica and the baby seemed to have had it a little tougher than him. He wasn't surprised. He hadn't really done anything that could even compare to what Monica had been through. Besides, he was too excited to be tired. He watched as the baby fell asleep in his arms, then looked up to see that Monica was also sleeping peacefully. "I love you two so much," he whispered. He was a father. It was unbelievable...

==========

A/N - I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you thought. And there's still more, although I could probably just leave it here. I have at least one more chapter, and then an epilogue. I might be able to get the next chapter up tomorrow night.


	9. Chapter Nine

A/N - Again, sorry about the delay. Thank you so much for your reviews. I'm glad you've enjoyed this so far. This chapter will be the last one before the epilogue, which I hope to have finished soon. I know what I want to do, it just takes time to write it down and make sure it sounds right... Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think...

****

Because of Your Love

__

Chapter Nine

Monica woke up hours later to find Chandler sleeping in the chair next to her bed. His head was resting on the bed, and he didn't look comfortable at all. The baby was sleeping in one of the hospital's bassinets beside him.

She ran her fingers through his hair and whispered, "Chandler, sweetie, wake up." He woke immediately and looked up at her sleepily.

"Something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"No, nothing's wrong. You just looked uncomfortable. You should have gone home to get some sleep, honey."

"And leave you? Absolutely not," he responded.

"Chandler, you're not going to get any sleep at home for awhile now. You should get as much as you can," she laughed. "You had a tough day, too, honey."

"I'll survive," he smiled at her and got up to kiss her. She moved over a little on the bed so he could join her.

"How does it feel to be a dad?" Monica asked as she and Chandler cuddled up in the small hospital bed.

"Incredibly wonderful," he said honestly. "I love it." She smiled at his answer and kissed him gently. "You know, I was thinking about some things before I fell asleep."

"Really? You were thinking?" she teased.

"Yes, believe it or not," he chuckled. "Remember when Ben was born?" She nodded. "Remember the little deal we made in the waiting room?" She smiled and nodded again. "It's kind of funny how that worked out, don't you think?"

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Guess we didn't make it until we were forty, huh?"

"No... And I'm glad we didn't. I wish we'd done this sooner. I had no idea how good this would feel."

"I know," she replied and touched his cheek gently. "We really need to name our son, don't you think?" she smiled.

"Yeah, I think you're right. Are we going to stick with the name we picked out, or have you come up with something different?" he asked.

"I really wish you'd let me name him after you, Chandler."

"No. We don't need a Chandler, Junior. I think you already have your hands full with one Chandler," he teased.

"You're right. I do," she grinned. "All right. Zachary Nathan Bing. Do you still like that one?" she asked.

"I think it suits him." He looked over at the sleeping baby and smiled. "Think we should ask him what he thinks?"

"When he's awake," she replied. As if on cue, the baby stirred and began to cry softly.

"He knows we were talking about him," Chandler laughed and got up to take the baby from the bassinet. He carried him back to the bed and handed him to Monica who began to nurse him. "You're a natural," Chandler smiled at her and gently kissed her forehead. "Of course I wouldn't expect any less from you."

Monica returned his smile and looked back at their son. "Zachary Nathan Bing. What do you think, sweetie?" she asked and gently ran her finger along his cheek. The baby continued to nurse, looking up at his mother with big blue eyes. "I hear no complaints," she laughed, looking back at Chandler.

"Then Zachary it is," he replied, watching the mother and son together. He knew that it had to be one of the most incredible things he'd ever seen - besides his front row seat to the actual birth of the baby.

"Honey, are you all right?" Monica asked, noticing the far off look in Chandler's eyes. "Is it the breastfeeding? I thought you said you were gonna be all right with this. I know it was weird for you with Carol and Ben, but this is me, and this is _our_ baby, and I thought that you said it was -"

"Mon, I'm fine," he assured her. "I was just thinking about you and the baby. You and Zachary."

"Oh. What were you thinking about me and Zachary?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know. I was just thinking about how unbelievable it is that I have a wife and a son, and how unbelievable it is that _you're_ my wife and the mother of my baby. I mean, all those years you wanted a marriage and babies, and I wanted nothing to do with any form of commitment. And now, here we are - husband and wife, mother and father. Don't you think it's a little crazy that we ended up together?" he laughed.

"No, I don't think it's crazy at all," she answered. "Honestly, Chandler, I can't imagine myself with anyone else. Who better to spend the rest of my life with than my best friend? It couldn't be any more perfect."

He smiled at her, amazed at how incredibly lucky he was to have gotten a chance with her. Monica, of all people. "I don't deserve you, you know."

"I know," she teased. "Chandler, the truth is I don't deserve you. You're too good to me."

"Yeah, I know," he grinned. The baby gurgled and both parents turned their attention to Zachary. "Feeling a little left out?" Chandler smiled down at the baby who was now looking toward him.

"I can't wait to take you home, sweetie," Monica said quietly. "We're going to be such a happy family."

==========

"Chandler, I can open the door myself. I'm not completely helpless. I had a baby, not major brain surgery," Monica complained as she and Chandler stood outside of their apartment the next afternoon. Chandler was carrying Monica's suitcase, the baby's diaper bag, and his carrier. Monica had Zachary in her arms and was trying to unlock the door.

"Monica, please. You just gave birth. It's a big deal. Let me help you," he responded, took the key from her, and dropped everything he was holding. "I'll get that later," he shrugged and unlocked the door.

"Surprise!" the other four members of their group exclaimed when the door opened. There was a banner hanging over the door to the nursery with the words "Welcome home, Zachary," and the mess that had been left in the apartment had been cleaned up. No one wanted Monica to come home to an apartment that was less than tidy. She wouldn't be happy at all. Monica smiled brightly and walked into the apartment while Chandler stayed behind and cleaned up the mess in the hallway.

Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, and Joey gathered around Monica to look at the baby who was looking at all of their faces with wide eyes. Chandler finally gathered up the things he had dropped and joined the rest of them, putting everything on the floor again.

"Can I hold him? Can I _please_ hold him?" Joey asked excitedly. "I still haven't gotten to hold him yet, and he's my godson."

"And mine," Ross added. Monica and Chandler had already decided that the baby would have to have two sets of godparents. "I'm his uncle."

"Yeah, whatever," Joey sighed. "Please, Mon. Let me hold him."

"Of course you can hold him, Joey." She carefully handed the baby to him. "Just be careful... And support his head."

Joey smiled at the little boy. "I'm gonna teach you everything you need to know about women, kid. I'm gonna make sure you're better at that than your dad."

"Hey," Chandler said. "If you want to be his godfather, Joey, you're gonna have to think about what you say and who's around when you say it. Monica and I both heard you, and neither of us want our son to be a womanizer... By the way, insulting his dad won't get you anywhere either."

"Oh. Yeah," Joey said quietly. He turned back to the baby. "I'm not gonna teach you anything. We'll just hang out, because that's what best buddies do."

"Best buddies? Joey, I'm hurt. I thought _we_ were best buddies," Chandler said, pretending to be upset.

"That was before this little guy came along. He's part Monica's and part yours, so he's the best of both worlds," Joey replied innocently.

"Oh, Joey, that's so sweet," Monica said softly, on the verge of tears.

"Hey! What about me?" Phoebe yelled.

"You're _still_ my number one girl, Pheebs," he grinned at her.

"And you completely left out me and Ross," Rachel complained. "What's the deal here?"

  
"All right, all right. It's kind of a line from an audition," Joey admitted. "I can't include _everybody_, and I'm trying to up my chances at being sole godfather."

"Forget it. Monica's my sister, and I'm going to be the godfather to her baby," Ross said angrily.

"Fine. Maybe you'll be godfather, but I'm going to be his favorite uncle," Joey retorted.

Sydney, who had been sleeping on the couch, awoke and managed to clumsily toddle over to her mother and father. She had just begun walking, and the few steps were a great accomplishment. The arguing had not only interrupted her sleep, but it had irritated Zachary who began to cry loudly.

"Guys, you're both going to be his godfathers, and you're both going to be his favorite uncles. But you're starting to sound like a bunch of babies yourselves. So stop it, please," Chandler said, trying to calm everyone down.

"Yeah. Sorry, Joe," Ross apologized.

"Yeah. Me too," Joey responded.

"I've got to feed him," Monica said as she tried to calm the baby. "I'll be in the nursery," she said and turned to exit the living room.

"We should go. You guys need some time to settle in," Ross said and turned to the others. He leaned over and picked up Sydney who was sitting on the floor at his feet.

Phoebe and Rachel each hugged Chandler and kissed his cheek, congratulating him again on becoming a father. Joey smiled at his best friend and hugged him, apologizing for his earlier outburst. Soon they were all gone, and Chandler, Monica, and Zachary were alone in their apartment for the very first time - well, the _second_ time.

Chandler walked over to the nursery and opened the door slowly. He glanced around the room that had been painted pale yellow with blue, pink, green, and yellow alphabet blocks on a wallpaper border Monica had designed the whole room around. The furniture, including the crib, changing table, dresser and rocking chair, was all painted white. Chandler's eyes landed on the picture frame Monica had put their baby's first picture in and he smiled. It was hard for him to believe that the same little person in that blurry image was resting in Monica's arms just a few feet away. He looked over at Monica who was feeding Zachary in the rocking chair. She was humming a lullaby and hadn't noticed that he had entered the room. Chandler walked over and kneeled down beside the rocking chair, then gently touched his son's head. Monica looked over at him, still humming the lullaby, and smiled. Chandler noticed that she had a tear running down her cheek and reached up to wipe it away with his thumb.

"I love you," Chandler whispered and kissed Monica's forehead. "I love you both," he continued and gently kissed the top of the sleeping baby's head.

Monica stopped humming and removed the baby from her breast. She buttoned her blouse and wrapped the baby in the blanket she had on her lap. "I love you, too, Chandler," she said quietly. "Thank you for giving me Zachary."

"No, thank you," he replied and stood up. He carefully took the baby from Monica and walked over to the crib. Monica followed him and watched as he placed the baby in the bed and covered him with the blanket. They both stood there, with their arms wrapped around each other, watching the baby's chest rise and fall. After a few minutes of watching the baby sleeping peacefully, Chandler led Monica out of the nursery and into the living room.

"You need to get some rest," he said when she sat down on the couch. "I know that you're exhausted."

"I'm fine. Just come over here and sit with me for a few minutes."

He did as he was told and joined her on the couch. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I'm so proud of you," she said quietly.

"Proud of me? What did _I_ do?" he asked, confused.

"You delivered our son. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment," she grinned, turning to look at him.

He brushed a stray hair away from her face. "You did all the hard work. I just made sure he didn't fall on the floor... Boy, if that had happened, I would have completely lost it. That would've been a _much_ bigger screw-up than I could've handled," he chuckled.

"You were wonderful... I'm just surprised _you_ didn't fall on the floor," Monica laughed lightly. "Chandler?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you happy?" she asked innocently.

"Am I happy? Of course I'm happy, Mon. I've never been happier. Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know... I guess I just needed to hear you say it." She yawned.

"Believe me, you've made me the happiest man on the face of the planet," he assured her. "You and Zach are all I need." He kissed the top of her head, then noticed that she was sleeping. He smiled to himself and carefully picked her up, then carried her into the bedroom.

He placed her on the bed and covered her with a blanket, kissed her once more, then returned to the nursery where Zachary was still sleeping soundly.

"Hey, little guy. It's daddy again," he said quietly. He reached over and turned on the baby monitor so he and Monica would be able to hear him from the bedroom. He took the baby's tiny hand in his, amazed at how something so tiny had changed him so much - for the better. He reached up and wiped a few tears from his cheek with the back of his hand, and smiled at the baby again before turning to leave the nursery. "Sweet dreams, Zachary."


	10. Chapter Ten - Epilogue

A/N - I'm not sure if this turned out exactly the way I wanted it to, but I think it's close enough. Please let me know what you think...

Because of Your Love

__

Chapter Ten - Epilogue

"Daddy, please," the five year old boy pleaded, looking at his father. It was the cutest face Chandler had ever seen.

"Zach, I told you that you have to wait for your mother to get home," he replied. "_Then_ I'll play with you, I promise." He gathered up the two girls that were running wildly around the living room and put them on the couch. "Girls, please let your poor old dad rest for five minutes," he said and plopped onto the couch between them. The three year old identical twin girls giggled and jumped off the couch before Chandler could stop them. "Oh, come on!" he sighed, exasperated.

Before he could catch them again, the girls were headed in two different directions - one to the kitchen, the other to the den. Zachary was still sitting in the armchair.

"Daddy, please play with me. You promised," the little boy whined.

"You sound worse than your Uncle Joey," Chandler chuckled. "Please just sit here until I find your sisters, okay?" Zachary nodded, and Chandler headed off toward the den. "Girls! Come on out. I'm not playing hide-and-seek right now," he called, entering the den.

"Boo!" Lauren screamed, jumping up from behind a chair. Chandler jumped, startled.

"Lauren, please go into the living room with your brother. Mommy should be home any minute now... I hope," he added quietly.

"Okay, daddy," she giggled and ran toward the living room again.

"And no running in the house!" Chandler yelled after her.

"And no yelling either!" Monica's voice called from the living room.

"Thank goodness... Mommy to the rescue," Chandler sighed and walked back into the living room.

"...and then Miss Kelly let us play on the playground for a really long time, and she said that we get to fingerpaint tomorrow, and when Daddy came to get me, he took us to get ice cream!"

Chandler listened as his son filled Monica in on the events of the day. He knew that she probably wouldn't be very happy about the last part.

"Ice cream, huh? Daddy doesn't listen very well, does he?" she replied, looking up and smiling at her husband. She winked at him, and he smiled back at her.

"Mommy!" Rebecca exclaimed, emerging from her hiding place in the kitchen. "You're home!"

"Yes, I'm home," Monica laughed and took her daughter into her arms for a hug.

"Mommy, let's play upstairs," Lauren suggested, trying to drag her mother toward the stairs.

"Honey, Mommy has to start dinner, and I need to talk to Daddy for a few minutes. You can go upstairs with your sister and play for a little while, can't you?" The twins nodded. They looked as much like her as Zachary looked like Chandler. She couldn't believe how blessed she had been. "Thank you, girls," she smiled and kissed each of their foreheads. "Behave yourselves," she called as she watched them hurry up the stairs. She turned to their oldest child. "Zach, why don't you go up and play with your sisters while I talk to your dad, okay?"

"But Mommy, Daddy said that he would play with me when you came home." He turned to Chandler and pointed. "You promised."

"Zach, let me talk to Mommy for a few minutes, and after dinner we'll go upstairs and build a fort in your room. How does that sound?" Chandler asked, hoping that his son would agree. He really wanted to talk to Monica.

"Okay..." he reluctantly agreed, then walked toward the stairs.

"How do you do that, Mon?" Chandler asked, walking over to wrap his arms around her and kiss the top of her head.

"How do I do what?" she asked, resting her head on his chest.

"Control your kids," he laughed. "I've been alone with them for two hours and, as much as I love them, I feel like I'm going insane."

"They're your kids, too," she reminded him.

"Oh yeah... I seem to remember having some part in that," he grinned.

"Come on. Let's go make dinner," she said and led him toward the kitchen.

Monica went to the refrigerator and took out what she would need to make a salad, then walked over to the sink. Chandler just watched her, wondering if she was ready to talk about whatever it was she needed to talk about. He was a little worried.

"Mon?"

"Yeah, sweetie?" she asked, looking up from her task.

"Were you planning on telling me what happened at your appointment today, or do I have to drag it out of you?"

"Oh, that," she said quietly. "Well..." She put down the knife she had been holding and wiped her hands on a dishtowel. She pulled out a chair at the kitchen table, and sat down. "Sit down, Chandler," she instructed.

"Uh oh... Is this bad news?" he asked worriedly as he joined her at the table.

"I don't think so," she answered, taking his hands in hers. "Do you remember right before Zach was born when we decided that we wanted to have three kids?"  
  
"Yeah," he smiled, remembering that exact conversation.

"How would you feel about changing that three to a four?"

"Four? Really?" he questioned, smiling.

She nodded. "I'm pregnant...again," she said quietly.

"Are you serious?" She nodded. "It wasn't just stress?" This time she shook her head. They'd already talked about the possibility of her being pregnant, but Monica had insisted that the whole thing was a false alarm. She blamed it all on the stress of raising a family. In reality, she just hadn't wanted to let Chandler think it might be true unless she _knew_ that it was true.

"I'm almost three months along," she informed him. "And I know that we weren't planning on this, but I'm kind of excited about it... Chandler, I need an honest answer from you. Are you happy about this baby?"

"Of course I am, Monica," he assured her. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "We're gonna have another baby," he said quietly.

She smiled at him. "I'm glad you're happy about this."

"Why wouldn't I be? I love having babies with you," he grinned. "And making them, for that matter."

"We _do_ make beautiful babies, don't we?" she laughed.

"Yes, we do," he agreed. "I love you," he smiled and leaned across the table to kiss her.

"I love you, too," she replied once the kiss was broken.

"You know, at least now I'm getting what I wanted," Chandler grinned.

"And what's that?" she asked curiously.

"I get to see you pregnant again. I mean, when I said that I wanted three kids, I thought I was going to get to see you pregnant three times. But the girls cheated me out of that," he laughed. "And you _do_ make a gorgeous pregnant woman."

"Thank you," Monica said quietly. "Why don't you go upstairs and make sure your children are cleaned up for dinner? I'll have it ready in twenty minutes."

"All right. But only because I love you guys so much," he teased.

He started to leave the kitchen, but Monica stopped him. "Chandler?"  
  
"Yeah, Mon?"

"What do you want this time? A boy or a girl?"  
  
"You know that doesn't matter to me. As long as he or she is healthy, I'll be happy with either outcome."

"But if you had to choose... Boy or girl?" she asked again.

He thought about it for a moment before responding. "Boy," he answered. "But only because me and Zach are outnumbered around here," he smiled at her.

She laughed. "Okay... Just curious," she smiled at him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mon."

==========

"But, Mom, I don't wanna go to bed!" Zach complained when Monica informed him that it was time to get some sleep. "Lauren and Becca are still up. I don't wanna go to bed yet," he whined.

Monica looked over at Chandler, who simply shrugged his shoulders. She knew he wouldn't be the one to deny his son a later bedtime. All three of their kids had their father wrapped around their little fingers. "All right. Just for tonight," she sighed. Zachary hugged his mother excitedly and jumped back onto the couch between his mother and father. Monica and Chandler were each holding one of the twins.

Chandler picked up the remote control and turned off the cartoon video the kids had been watching.

"Daddy!" the girls exclaimed in unison.

"If you want to stay up, then we have to talk about something," Chandler responded.

"What, Daddy?" Zach asked curiously.

Chandler looked over at Monica for reassurance. Monica was a little over four months along now, and the kids still didn't know about the baby. They had decided that tonight was the night. Monica nodded and smiled, urging him to go on.

Zachary, Lauren, and Rebecca looked at their father, waiting for him to tell them whatever it was he was going to tell them. All three of them wanted to go back to watching their video.

"Well, what would you think about having a new baby brother or sister?" he asked.

"A baby?" Lauren asked. "A real one?"

"Yes, a real one," Monica laughed.

"Well, where is it? When do we get it?" Zach asked curiously.

"Well..." Chandler began. "The baby won't be here for a few more months."

"Where is it?" Zach asked again.

"Sweetie, the baby's growing in Mommy's tummy," Monica answered. The kids turned to look at her and Chandler mouthed "thank you" to her. She smiled and continued. "The baby will be in there for a few more months until he or she is ready to come out and meet all of us."

"How'd it get in there?" Rebecca asked innocently.

"Um... Ask your father," she replied. The three children looked back to Chandler who had a look of sheer terror on his face. "Sorry," Monica whispered, ready to burst into a fit of giggles. She couldn't wait to hear how he got himself out of this one.

  
"Well," he began nervously, "I, um... I guess that God saw that you guys needed another brother or sister, so He put the baby in there. Just like He did for each of you."  
  
"Really?" Lauren said quietly. "We were in Mommy's tummy, too?"

"Yeah. Really," Chandler answered.

"But I don't have a big brother or sister. Why'd He put _me_ in there?" Zach asked.

"He knew that your mom and I needed someone like you in our lives, so He sent you to us. And we're very happy that we have all three of you - and the new baby."

"Oh," Zach replied, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. He yawned and rested his head against the back of the couch. Lauren and Rebecca were already sleeping on Monica's lap.

"You're amazing," Monica whispered and smiled at her husband.

"Yeah, I know," he teased. "I'll take the kids up to bed."

"I'll help you," Monica replied and started to get up with the girls.

"No, no, no," Chandler said to stop her. "You can't lift anything heavy."

"The girls aren't that heavy... I'll take one. You take the other," she suggested.

"No. I'll get the girls. You can wake Zach up and help him upstairs. But don't pick him up."

Monica gave in. She knew she wouldn't get anywhere with this anyway. "Fine." Chandler took the girls from her and headed toward the stairs as Monica nudged Zach. "Zach, honey, wake up. You have to go to bed, sweetie." He moaned and opened his eyes. Monica helped him stand up, took his hand, and led him upstairs, following Chandler.

Once Chandler had tucked the girls into bed, he walked into Zach's room to kiss him good night. Monica had just finished tucking him in and was giving him a gentle kiss on his forehead. She turned and smiled at Chandler who bent down to kiss his sleeping son. Chandler took Monica's hand and led her into the hallway. "Let's go to bed," he suggested.

"Just a minute. I want to kiss the girls good night," she replied and reached up to kiss him tenderly. "I'll be right there."

A few minutes later, Monica walked into the bedroom she and Chandler shared and smiled at the sight of her husband sleeping soundly on top of the covers. She laughed lightly and walked over to kiss him gently. "Wake up, honey. You're not getting off that easily tonight."

He stirred and opened his eyes. "Hey, Mon," he said quietly. "Did I fall asleep?"

She nodded and laid down on the bed beside him. "Long day, huh?"

"Yeah... Thanks for giving me the tough question," he teased and pulled her close to him.

"Hey, no problem," she grinned. "That was a good answer, you know."

"Thanks," he chuckled. "Best I could do on short notice... Zach didn't ask that many questions with the twins, did he?"

"No, but he was younger then. Now he wants to know it all," she smiled at him. "Did you mean what you said? About us needing someone in our lives?"

"Of course. We did need them. All of them. Even the new baby," he smiled, placing his hand on her slightly rounded stomach. "If we didn't need them, they wouldn't be here."

"You're right," she agreed.

"I'm always right," he teased.

"Don't be so sure of yourself," she replied. "You're not _always_ right."

"I was right when I decided to spend the rest of my life with you, wasn't I?"

She smiled. "I should have become immune to your charm by now, Chandler," she laughed. "Thank goodness I haven't," she added and kissed him tenderly. "Thank you for making all of my dreams come true."

"Have I really done that, Monica?" he asked, a serious look on his face.

"Absolutely. I have a husband who loves me, and I love him just as much as he loves me, and we have the three most wonderful children in the world right here with us, with one more on the way." She rubbed her stomach gently. "I have the perfect family, and the perfect life, thanks to you," she added and wiped several tears from her cheek.

Chandler reached over and gently brushed away a few of the tears Monica had missed and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Monica... You have no idea how much I love you, because I could never tell you exactly how I feel. It's too much to put into words," he said quietly and smiled at her. "You made me who I am, Monica. I'm the husband I am because I have you to be my wife, and I'm a much better father than I ever thought I could be because you're here to help me through it... I'm everything I am because of you, Mon... Because of your love..."

==========

A/N - Yes, the ending was very sappy. Sorry. lol I really hope you've enjoyed this. Please let me know what you thought. I've got a couple of ideas for Monica and Chandler stories, so I'll try to get another up soon. I've already got two stories started, I just have to figure out which one I like better... Thanks again for all of your reviews.


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